1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to musical instruments having an elongated neck portion attached to a main body portion and in particular to the construction of the neck portion of musical instruments around which the player of the musical instrument wraps his hand to hold the instrument and to apply finger pressure thereto to vary the tonal sound or the pitch of the sound produced by the musical instrument, particularly acoustic and electric guitars and basses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A great many of the modern-day musical instruments, as well as a great many of the recent past and even the antique musical instruments, comprise a main body portion and an elongated neck extending from the body portion. In general, most of such instruments include a number of strings extending between the end of the neck of the instrument and an anchor point of the strings on the body portion of the instrument. Typically, the end of the neck portion to which the strings are attached, includes means for separately tightening each of the strings in order to achieve the proper pitch produced when a string is caused to vibrate. For example, such musical instruments may comprise a guitar, both electrical and acoustical, a bass guitar, and other like stringed musical instruments.
Once such stringed instruments are properly tuned by appropriately tightening each of the strings, the instrument is ready to be played. Playing of the stringed instruments not only includes causing the strings to vibrate by finger strumming or picking of the strings but also by varying the effective length of the strings by the player. By sliding his hand along the length of the neck of the instrument and by pressing the strings between his fingers and the instrument neck, the musician varies the effective length of the strings and thereby changes the pitch of the sound produced by the strings. In either event, the player must hold the instrument at the neck end by positioning the same between his extended fingers and thumb and his hand bent at the wrist.
Typically, the construction of the neck of the prior art musical instruments has a cross-sectional shape having a flat top portion and a convexly shaped or outwardly curved bottom portion which somewhat resembles the configuration of a capital letter "D". A plurality of frets, comprising raised narrow ridges, extending transverse to the neck of the instrument are spaced from each other along the length of the neck of the instrument. The strings of the instrument are positioned on the flat side of the neck, above the transverse frets, and extend along the length thereof generally parallel to each other with spaces therebetween. When positioning and playing such a stringed instrument, the player or musician positions one hand around the neck with his fingers on the string side and his thumb against the convexly curved lower surface. Then, by squeezing the one or more strings and the neck of the instrument between his thumb and one of his extending fingers either at the location of the frets or between the frets, a desired pitch of the instrument is achieved. By varying the location of his hand along the neck of the instrument and squeezing the strings at different locations, different pitches are achieved.
The positioning of a hand at the neck of the instrument and the sliding of the player's hand therealong while applying pressure to the strings between his fingers and his thumb, results in a relatively awkward position of the player's hand. It requires bending of the wrists inwardly to create an approximate right angle between the person's hand and the person's arm and with the fingers and thumb extending parallel to each other with a space therebetween. In the space therebetween, of course, is located the neck of the instrument being played. Then, the player is required to squeeze one of his extending fingers, usually his middle finger, and thumb to capture one or more strings on the upper flat side of the neck and press the same against the neck while also pressing against the curved bottom portion of the neck of the instrument. It can, therefore, be well appreciated that the position and extending fingers of the player's hand is a difficult position to maintain while correctly applying the pressure to the strings and neck of the instrument, therefore, players will often "improperly" position their thumb at a more convenient location on the convex side of the neck depending upon which string or strings are to be captured by the player's fingers. Also, depending on the type of the music to be played, a player will purposefully misposition his thumb to allow his fingers to achieve a particular location relative to the strings in order to allow the player to play a particular type of music. The prior art cross-sectional shape of the neck of the instrument does not enhance but in actuality hinders the ability of the person to position his thumb and apply pressure to the neck of the musical instrument and to the strings extending therealong.
Another method of playing a guitar involves a player sliding his hand along the center of the back of the neck of the instrument to achieve a different axial location on the neck by his hand and then rotating his hand to place his thumb at a location other than at the center of the back. The prior art guitar neck designs are not conducive to this type of playing.
Inasmuch as the overall construction of a necked musical instrument materially affects the quality of the sound produced thereby, the prior art neck construction necessarily has an effect on the sound quality of the instrument. The consistently-shaped prior art necked instruments, therefore, produce a quality of the sound though, while consistent, can be improved.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a construction of the neck of a musical instrument which allows the player of the instrument to more easily position his hand around the neck of the instrument with his thumb on one side and apply pressure to the instrument strings on the other side by his extending fingers while sliding his hand axially along the length of the neck of the instrument to vary the pitch of the sound produced by the strings.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a construction of the neck of a musical instrument whereby the fit up between a person's hand and the neck of the instrument provides for reducing of the tension in the player's hand in order to allow the player to achieve an improved musical performance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a construction of the neck of a musical instrument whereby a musician can more conveniently position his extending fingers and thumb transverse to the longitudinal axis of the neck of the instrument, depending upon the type of music the player desires to play.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a construction of the neck of a musical instrument whereby the quality of the sound produced by the instrument is improved.
Another object of the present invention is to configure the cross-sectional shape of a neck of a musical instrument which better conforms to the space between a person's extended thumb and extended fingers when playing a musical stringed instrument and depending on where the player places his thumb.
Another object of the present invention is to configure the cross-sectional shape of a neck of a stringed musical instrument which conforms to the curvature of a person's thumb and a person's hand and thumb heel pads.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the neck of a stringed musical instrument, such as a guitar and a bass, with one or more depressions which extend along the neck of the musical instrument and thereby provide a player with a choice of the location of the one or more depressions across the width of the neck of the instrument while sliding his hand along the length of the neck of the instrument.
The above-stated objects as well as other objects which, although not specifically stated, but are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, are accomplished by the present invention and will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Detailed Description of the Invention, Drawings, and the Claims appended herewith.